Surfboard with removable outboard motor



Dec. 1, 1964 D. R. KIBBY SURF'BOARD WITH REMOVABLE OUTBOARD MOTOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 22, 1963 Dec. 1, 1964 D. R. KIBBY 3,158,882

SURFBOARD WITH REMOVABLE OUTBOARD MOTOR Filed July 22, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent This invent on relates to a water-skimming craft, of the kind known generally as a surfboard or a paddleboard, and more particularly it relates to a novel craft of this kind that is readily converted from a conventional surfboard to either a sailboard or a powerboard.

There is quite evident today an ever expanding interest in boating and other water sports. This interest is being manifested in a wide variety of different settings, at inland lakes and rivers and all along the coastal regions of the continent. My invention has as a general object the provision of a relatively inexpensive, portable watercraft which a person can selectively adapt to the diverse characteristics of these various settings, or which, in any one setting, is readily convertible for use in a variety of dzuerent ways.

Another general objective of the present invention is the provision of three-in-one water sport equipment including but one hull which can be easily transformed, at the operators option, to serve in any one of three alternative capacities:

(l) A surfboard or paddleboard, for rescue work, racing,

exercise or fun in surf or inland waters; (2} A s wet sailing on rivers, lakes, oceans It is a further object of my invention to provide a sport-board having the advantages and appeal of a surfboard plus a sailboard plus a powerboard.

till another object is the provision of an improved motor-driven surfboard which is compact, relatively stable, safe and to ride and maneuver without necessity of a rudder or other steering mechanism.

The prior art motor-driven surfboards or" which I am presently aware have been of two general types. In one type a conventional outboard motor is mounted on an outrigger of suitable construction. In the oth r type, a conven nal outboard motor is mounted inboard, above the deck 0 the surfboard, with a well being provided in the board or the downwardly extending propeller driving shaft .nd its housing. in prior art motor-driven surfboards of the latter construction, special closures have to be provided to prevent water from splashing or surging upward into or through the well, and these boards are n t convertible to manual operation. In both types tor is fully exposed, whereby stalling due to spray can be a problem and the operator risks injury, should he lose his balance, on contact with the motor or its appurtenances. My invention overcomes these and other shortcomings of the prior art, as will be fully apparent from its description hereinafter.

In carrying out my invention in one form, I mount an outboard motor in an enclosure, the propeller housing depending exteriorly therefrom, and l render the lower portion of the enclosure substantially watertight. In addition I modify a conventional surfboard by forming therein an inboard cavity in communication with openings in the deck and bottom of the craft, the craft being otherwise watertight. e cavity is adapted to removably receive the aforesaid enclosure which is detachably fastened to the craft, vith the propeller housing depending from the lower portion of the enclosure below the opening in the bottom of the craft. Thus a relatively stable and safe i we 3,158,882 Patented Dec. 1, lsfil "ice powerboard is formed. This is readily convertible to a manually operative board by removing the motor-mounting enclosure and filling the cavity with a substantially watertight second enclosure designed for this purpose. With the second enclosure in place a sailboard can be formed by simply attaching a sailing rig, including a mast and a leeboard, to the craft.

My invention will be better understood and its various objects and advantages will be more fully appreciated from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGS. 1 and 2 are plan and side views, respectively, or" a watercraft embodying my invention;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, exploded side elevation, partly in section, of the cavity and a first insert in the hull of the craft which is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a side elevation of the same craft with a sailing rig attached thereto;

5 is a front view of the craft taken along lines 5 -5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged, exploded side elevation similar to FlG. 3 but showing another embodiment of the invention wherein an outboard motor-mounting insert is recessed in the craft; and

FIG. 7 is a plan view of the portion of the craft shown in FIG. 6.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, my watercraft will be seen to comprise an elongated board or hull 11 having a deck ii, a bottom 13, and laterally tapered bow l4 and stern 15. The outward configuration of this board is streamlined like that of a conventional surfboard. Its bottom is convexly contoured both lengthwise and breadth- Wise. The board can be constructed of any suitable material and in any one of several alternative forms ell known in the art. For example, the material might be Wood, aluminum, fiberglass reinforced plastic, or the like. The hull ll can be either hollow or filled with flotation material such as polyurethane foam, and it is made substantially watertight in a conventional manner.

By way of example, one board that Ihave built and successfully tested comprises wooden sides, laminated bow and stern pieces, and a deck and bottom of plywood, with the hull being divided into a plurality of hollow compartments by tranverse bulkheads. Each of the bulkheads is apertured at both of its ends, and a plugged vent (not shown) is provided in one of the side panels, whereby moisture leaking into and accumulating in any compartment of the substantially watertight hull can be drained therefrom and air pressure inside the hull can be equalized with that of atmosph re. This particular board is 14 feet long with a 22-inch beam and a maximum depth of 5 /2 inches, and it can be ridden by two adults at the same time.

According to my invention, the above-described board is provided with an inboard pocket or cavity 16, best seen in FIG. 3. The cavity 16, which is generally rectangular as shown, is in communication with an opening 17 cut in the deck 12 of the board and also with an opening is cut in the bottom 13. in the illustrated embodiment of my invention, transverse bulkheads 19 and 29 comprise the fore and aft walls of the cavity 16, and its sidewalls are formed by additional partitions (not shown) which span the bulkheads l9 and 2t spaced relation to the respective sides of the board. These bulkheads and pantitions are imperforate, and their junctures with the deck 12 and bottom 13 and with each other are appropriately sealed, whereby the hull ll remains substantially watertight.

The cavity 15 in my watercraft, as it is shown in F165. l3, is precisely filled with a removable, substantially Watertight and airtight insert 21. The insert 21 p is simply a hollow rectangular enclosure or plug to which the mast 23 as is best seen in FIG. 4. V

7 FIGS. '6 and 7 show another modification of'the abovethe cavity closely conforms. The deck opening 17 is sufi'icient to admit the insert 21, and while disposed in the cavity 16 the top surface of the insert is flush with the deck 12 and closes the opening 17. The bottom side of the insert is raised at 21a to close the opening 18 in the bottom of the'board. While the illustrated bottom opening 18, for .reasons which will become apparent hereinafter, is shaped like the profile of a bell, it could be given any other configuration desired.

Suitable means is provided for detachably fastening the-insert 21 to the board 11 when his received by the cavity 16. As is illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3 by way of example, such means can comprise a plurality of brass bolts 22 which are inserted in holes in the bottom 13 of the board and screwed into tapped plates (not shown) sunk in the underside of insert 21 at spaced locations adjacent the opening 18 to thereby fasten the insert to the hull. It should here be noted that no special care need be taken to seal the gaps between the exterior of insert 21 and the walls of the cavity 16, since the presence of Water in these gaps and its percolation therethrough will neither impair the buoyancy of the board nor spoil the fun of riding it.

The size and configuration of the insert 21, the cor- ..responding dimensions of the cavity 16, and the particular location of the'cavity in the board 11 are all principally determined by criteria involving the motor insert shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 and described hereinafter.

It will be apparent that the watercraft illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 is intended to be used and enjoyed as a conventional water-skimming surfboard or paddleboard. The advantages of the craft in this form can be furthered byusing transparent material for the top and bottom of the insert 21 and by enlarging the opening 18 in the bottom of the hull '11, whereby a rider lying or sitting on top of my board can observe through the insert 21 the water below. In clear water this promotes the use of my board for rescue work and for other activities Where inspection or observation of the waters bed is desired.

The above-described watercraft can be readily converted or transformed into a sailboard. This is accomphshed by adding to the board of FIGS. '1 and 2 a saillng rig which is shown in its preferred form in FIGS. 4 and 5.- 'As can be seen in the latter two figures, the sallmg'rig comprises a mast 23, a footing 24 subjoining the mast, a 'leeboard 25 located alongside the hull 11, and girding means 26 for releasably securing the foot- 1113'24 to the deck 12 and the leeboard 25 to the side of the hull. Any suitable sail '27 can be rigged to the mast 23, and a'modified lateen sail rig is shown in FIG.

'4 by way. of example. The sailboard can be steered by the rider with the aid of an canoe paddle'or by dragging one of his feet or hands in the water alongside the board.

The footing 24 subjoining the mast 23 in the preferred embodiment of my sailboat-d comprises a short, upstanding length of pipe in which the mast is removably socketed'. The pipe is suitably anchored, as indicated in FIG. 5, to an elongated supportingfrnember 28 disposed athwart the deck 12' Opposite ends of member 28 are tightly-fastened, by means of a bolt 29, to a strap or bellyband 30 slung under the bottom 13 of the board,

and this in the preferred embodiment of my invention is the aforesaid means (26) for securing or strapping the footing 24 to' the deck 12. Upon loosening the'bolt 29 "the sailing rigis released for removal from the board with dispatch. The 'leeboard 25 is attached to the elongated supporting member 28 by suitable means including a wing nut 31 as shown. Extra rigidity is provided for the footing 24 by a bracingmember 32 disposed across and aflixed to the member 28, the bracing member having spaced feet 33 abutting the deck 12 fore and aft from described -watercraft,vs/herein the board 11 is equipped 1 with a removable motor insert 34 for powerboardingl The insert 34 comprises an enclosure or container of generally rectangular shape, with a motor 35 fixedly mounted therein. The motor 35 is dr-ivingly connected to an exteriorly located propeller 36 whose supporting means or housing 37, as can be seen in FIG. 6, is mounted in spaced relation to the enclosure 34 on a vertical 7 slow speeds.

member 38 projecting downwardly from the enclosures lower portion 34a. This enclosure is made interchangeable with the previously described enclosure or insert 21 (see FIG. 3), and whenever it is disposed or recessed in the inboard cavity 16 of the board 11, the propeller housing 37 depends therefrom below the opening 18 in the bottom of the board. Thus a powerboard is formed.

Any suitable propeller driving motor can housed in conjunction with the removable motor insert or enclosure 34 of my invention; For example, I contemplate the use of either an electric motor or an internal-combustion motor. The motor may be either water cooled or air cooled. Any presently available commercial outboard motor of appropriate size can be utilized, or a motor tailored specifically to fit within a compact enclosure could be developed. The fuel supply tank can be included in the enclosure or located separately, in an adjacent compartment of the hull of the watercraft. Or a fitting could be installed in the upper portion of the enclosure for receiving fuel from a portable vessel carried aboveboard.

By way of example,one powerboard that I have built adjusted appropriately. In order to prevent flooding of 7 the motors exhaust chamber which will now be below water level, I have provided a special exhaust system;

including the standpipe 40 which traps Water entering the submerged exhaust outlet 41 before it reaches the' exhaust chamber. (The bottom 13 of the board is of course open below the outlet 41.) The motor 35 is so mounted in the enclosure that it cannot be moved or turned with respect thereto, whereby an integral unit is formed.

The motor 35 is accessible from above the enclosure 34 through an'ample opening in the top side of the enclosure, which opening is closed by a lid or cover 42. By opening .this lid the top of the motors gasoline tank will be exposed for filling. The forward end 42a of the lid is hinged as shown in FIG. 6, and it can be left open during operation of the powerboard in order to admit plenty of fresh air in the enclosure 34 for combustion and cooling purposes. In rough weather, however, I

prefer to leave 42a closed, thereby avoiding flooding of i Wall (through appropriate holes provided for this pur pose), extends over opposing pulleys 46 and terminates at the arm 44, whereby the arm can be traversed simply "by pulling oneside or the other of the cord 45. The

cord should be long enough to beheld by a rider who will be stationed toward the rear of the board 11 at vide means for disconencting the ignition system of the motor 35 from outside the enclosure 34 should the rider be standing or need to stop the motor for emergency As a safety measure I additionally pro- 47 extending into the enclosure where it is secured to the ignition wire at the motors spark plug. By this means the rider, should he fall 05 the board, pulls the wire ofi the spark plug thereby stopping the motor 35.

The outer walls of the lower portion 34a of the motor enclosure are substantially watertight. The propeller mounting member 33 is sealed to the bottom side of the lower portion 34a, by means of a gasket or the like (FIG. 6), to keep water from passing into the enclosure between these parts, and the lower end of the standpipe 4b is also sealed to 34:1 to prevent leakage there. The configuration of the cavity 16 in the board 11 is closely conformed to the outer configuration of the lower portion 34a of enclosure 34, and when received in the cavity this enclosure is detachably fastened to the board by fastening means 22. The opening 13 in the bottom 13 of the board is at least sufficient to pass the propeller 36 and its housing 37 during insertion of the motor enclosure 34 in the cavity 16.

As is best een in FIG. 6, the upper portion of the enclosure 34 slightly overhangs the lower portion 34a, thereby forming a shoulder which rests on the deck 12 of the board along the edges of the opening 17 therein. The height of this enclosure above the deck 12 preferably does not exceed approximately the depth of the cavity 16, and the lower the enclosure the better from the viewpoints of the stability of the powerboard and the visibility of a rider lying on the board behind the enclosure 34. A pair of handles 5%) are attached as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 to the upper portion of the motor enclosure 34 for convenient handling of this unit.

The outer configuration of the lower portion 34a of the removable motor enclosure 34 and the outer configuration of the plain enclosure or insert 21 (FIG. 3) are essentially the same, and the cavity 16 in the board 11 is arranged to removably receive either one of these units. Conversion from a surfboard to a powerboard is therefore accomplished quickly and conveniently by exchanging the enclosure 34 for the enclosure 21. F ith the motor enclosure 3% in place, a powered ride can be enjoyed by the rider in a standing, kneeling, sitting or prone position on the board. The relatively low center of gravity of this board reduces the hazard of capsizing. Another watercraft can be towed by the powerboard if desired.

Since no steering mechanism is provided, the case with which my powerbc-ard is maneuvered depends on the skill and dexterity of the rider. The rider, who is positioned on the deck behind the motor enclosure, can change the direction of the board by shifting his weight sideways, or by dragging one of his feet, a hand or a paddle. Proper inclination of the board at various forward speeds is ma ntained by the rider shifting his position fore or aft as requ red. Should he lose his balance, the rider is protected by the enclosure 34- from contact with sharp and dangerous protuberances of the outboard motor 35 contained therein. The enclosure also serves to protect the motor horn spray and splash which could dampen the ignition and cause stallin The size of the motor enclosure 34 (and hence the dimensions of the cavity 16) and the place where it is recessed in the board 11 are governed by the physical size of the motor 35 and the desired planing properties of the craft. The enclosure is made as small and compact as is feasible for the pmticular motor used, and the best location of the cavity 16, for a rider of average Weight, can readily be determined empirically.

While a preferred form of my invention has been shown and described in this specification by way of illustration, many modifications will occur to those skilled in the art. I intend, therefore, by the concluding claims to cover all su h modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. A surfboard or paddleboard type water craft comprising a substantially watertight hull having an inboard cavity, the cavity being in communication with openings in both the deck and the bottom of the craft; a removable, substantially watertight and airtight insert disposed within said cavity to which the insert closely conforms, thereby closing said openings in the deck and in the bottom of the craft; and means for detachably fastening the insert to the hull.

2. The water craft of claim 1 which further includes a sailing rig comprising a mast, a footing subjoiuing the mast, a leeboard, and girding means for releasably securing the footing to the deck of the craft and the leeboard to the side of the hull.

3. Water sport equipment including: a first enclosure; an outboard motor carried by said first enclosure, the motor propeller being exteriorly located on mounting means projecting downwardly from a lower portion of said first enclosure; a substantially watertight second enclosure the outed configuration of which is essentially the same as the outer configuration of the lower portion of said first enclosure; a substantially watertight waterskimming craft having an inboard cavity which is in communication with openings in both the deck and the bottom of the craft, the configuration of said cavity being conformed generally to the outer configuration of the lower portion of said first enclosure, the opening in the deck of the craft being sufficient to admit said lower portion and the opening in the bottom of the craft being sumcient to pass said propeller and mounting means, said cavity being arranged to removably receive either one of said first and second enclosures; and means for detachably fastening to the craft the enclosure received by said cavity.

4. The water sport equipment of claim 3 which further includes a sailing rig comprising: a mast; a footing subjoining the mas" means for securing said footing to the deck of the craft, with the second enclosure received in the cavity and fastened to the craft; a leeboard adapted to be located alongside the craft; and means for attaching said leeboard to said securing means.

5. A surfboard or paddleboard type water-skimming craft comprising: a substantially watertight enlongated hull having laterally tapered bow and stern; a generally rectangular cavity in the bull in communication with openings in both the deck and the bottom of the craft; a removable insert disposw in said cavity, said insert having a generally rectangular shape with its height above the deck of the craft not exceeding approximately the depth of the cavity which cavity is closely conformed to the outer configuration of the lower portion of the insert; a motor mounted within said insert, the motor being drivingly connected to a propeller; means depending from the insert below the opening in the bottom of the craft for supporting the propeller; and means for etachably fastening the insert to the hull.

6. In combination: an outboard motor; a container within which said motor is fixedly mounted; means projecting from one side of said container for exteriorly mounting the motor propeller; a surfboard having an opening in its bottom; and means for removably recessing said container in said surfboard, with said one side closing said opening and said propeller mounting means projecting therebelow.

7. The combination of claim 6 in which means accessible from above the deck of the surfboard is provided for controlling the ignition and throttle of the motor while the container is recessed in the surfboard.

8. A surfboard or paddleboard type water-skimming craft comprising: a substantially watertight enlongated hull having laterally tapered bow and stern; said hull having an nboard cavity in communication with openings in both the deck and the bottom of the craft; a container removably disposed in said cavity with its lower portion being substantially watertight, the container hava 7 a ing an over-hanging upper portion resting on the deck of the craft adjacent to said opening therein; an outboard motor fixedly mounted within said container, the motor including a propeller-mounting member projecting downwardly from .the lower portion of the container through the opening in'the bottom of the craft; means for sealing said member to -the lower portion of the container to prevent the passage of Water therebetween; and means for detachably fastening the container 'to the bottom of the hull.

9. A surfboard or paddleboard type water craft comprising a substantially watertight rudder-less hull having an inboard cavity, the cavity being in communica- 7 tion with openings in both the deck and the bottom of the craft; a removable insert disposed within said cavity to a 8. which the insert closely conforms, said openings being closed by said insert; supporting means "in said insert for a motor-driven propeller depending from the insert below the opening in the bottom of the craft; means for protecting the interior of the insert from splashing water; and means for detachably fastening the insert to the hull.

References'Cited 'bythe Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 10 2,213,611 9/40 Ronm'ng' 114-122X 2,699,138 1/55 Dyer 1'14148 X 2,901,757 9/59 Remington 115-7O 3,041,994 7/62 Brodie 1-14-39 15 FERGUS S. MIDDLETON, Primary Examiner. 

6. IN COMBINATION: AN OUTBOARD MOTOR; A CONTAINER WITHIN WHICH SAID MOTOR IS FIXEDLY MOUNTED; MEANS PROJECTING FROM ONE SIDE OF SAID CONTAINER FOR EXTERIORLY MOUNTING THE MOTOR PROPELLER; A SURFBOARD HAVING AN OPENING IN ITS BOTTOM; AND MEANS FOR REMOVABLY RECESSING SAID CONTAINER IN SAID SURFBOARD, WITH SAID ONE SIDE CLOSING SAID OPENING AND SAID PROPELLER MOUNTING MEANS PROJECTING THEREBELOW. 